Red Sox need just 176 wins to catch Yanks

Tuesday

Aug 30, 2011 at 6:00 AMAug 30, 2011 at 2:04 PM

There were 5,000 customers in the seats at Fenway Park on the afternoon of Sept. 11, 1924, and probably none of them knew that they were witnessing history when the Red Sox lost to the Yankees, 4-3, in the first game of a doubleheader.

Babe Ruth hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning of that game, bringing New York into a 3-3 tie, and the Yanks got a run in the top of the ninth to prevail. New York also won the second game and the sweep left the Yankees one game behind the Washington Senators in the American League pennant race, and left the Red Sox 21 games out, in seventh place.

By Bill Ballou TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

There were 5,000 customers in the seats at Fenway Park on the afternoon of Sept. 11, 1924, and probably none of them knew that they were witnessing history when the Red Sox lost to the Yankees, 4-3, in the first game of a doubleheader.

Babe Ruth hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning of that game, bringing New York into a 3-3 tie, and the Yanks got a run in the top of the ninth to prevail. New York also won the second game and the sweep left the Yankees one game behind the Washington Senators in the American League pennant race, and left the Red Sox 21 games out, in seventh place.

Nothing historic about any of that — Ruth hit lots of home runs at Fenway Park, some for but most of them against the Red Sox — and New York and Boston spent the Roaring '20s at opposite ends of the standings.

The historic part was that the victory gave the Yankees the edge over the Red Sox in the teams' all-time series, which dated back to 1903, and which Boston had led essentially since New York joined the league that season.

New York has never relinquished the lead it took that afternoon. That one-game edge almost 87 years ago had expanded to 184 games when this season started. Boston has made progress so far in 2011, winning 10 of its first 12 against the Yanks, and as New York hits town for a three-game series that begins tonight, its lead is down to 1,128 to 952.

Which will disappear first — the national debt or the Yankees' lead in the all-time series with the Red Sox? If Boston makes up eight games a year, the teams will be all even in 2034, which means that Tim Wakefield could start the tying game, probably seeking his 500th win.

Here in the present, the teams find themselves running one-two in the AL East, as has usually been the case since 1998, when Boston began its current string of 14 straight seasons above .500. This year, the Sox started slowly and didn't catch New York until May 26 when they won in Detroit, 14-1. Starting then, Boston has spent 64 days alone in first place, the Yankees have spent 26 there by themselves and the teams have been tied for six days.

Since then, the Red Sox' biggest lead has been three games, most recently on July 27. New York's biggest lead has been 2-1/2 games, most recently on July 2.

Boston currently leads the Yankees by 1-1/2 games and the teams play one more series after this one, Sept. 23-25 in New York.

Both teams dealt with Irene last weekend, but because the Red Sox' scheduled game on Sunday was — what's the opposite of postponed, pre-played? — moved to Saturday, Boston has had two days rest. That should be good for its pitching, and good for its reigning Player of the Week, Adrian Gonzalez.

Gonzalez was cited by the American League yesterday after going 11 for 28 (.393) with five homers, nine RBIs and eight runs scored from Aug. 22 to 28.

Tonight's pitching matchup is John Lackey vs. CC Sabathia, two hurlers who have had contrasting results in 2011. On the morning of July 5, Lackey was 5-8 with a 7.47 ERA and some fans were calling for his release — the kind ones, anyway. Others wanted him set adrift in a canoe off Newfoundland with only a half-gallon of ice cream to keep him company.

Since then, though, Lackey is 7-1 with a 4.11 ERA.

Sabathia has been his Cy Young Award candidate self for most of the year, going 17-7. That breaks down this way — he is 17-3 against teams that don't play their home games in ballparks with a 37-foot high wall in left field, 0-4 with a 7.20 ERA against teams that do.

Tomorrow night, it is Josh Beckett vs. Phil Hughes. Hughes has had a disappointing season; Beckett is 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA in four starts vs. New York so far this year.

The Yanks play their last regular-season game here Thursday night, with Jon Lester going after his 15th win of the season and the undeniably, but unreliably, gifted A.J. Burnett pitching for New York.

The series is a chance for the Red Sox to open up some room in the battle for first in the AL East, and also a chance to get a little closer to getting out of the red by 2034.

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